Great report, WG! Sorry to hear about the tendon and theft.
These are the sort of race reports / life reports that, in my mind, brings RA and running to life.
And congrats, Hoosier! Nice work on the race and the samaritanship.
When it’s all said and done, will you have said more than you’ve done?
WG, great race report! Sorry to hear you are still injured, but hopefully 50K is an improvement over a month ago I hope?
HoosierDaddy, that is pretty cool winning a 12 hour ultra! Congrats!
Bacon Party!
What a report!! Thank you for doing all that...now I don' t have to.
All I need to add is about the cool people I met...
I have to admit, WrigleyGirl's Brett Somers avatar and mad ultra skillz had me a bit intimidated to meet her. But, now I know - I should have been Very Afraid! Can you believe this girl befriends inch worms, provides camping tips, gives tours of labyrinths, and saves toads from fiery ends? Totally psyched me out. (And it was more than a little creepy, the way she kept staring at my ass.)
Dinner with WrigleyGirl and Jeff F. was a treat at the local "Italian" eatery. (Yeah, that's like Panera "bread.") So many great stories to share - these two are adventurers! Then the beer run... I owe you guys one (or more) - shame on me for not bringing a little something from Michigan. (I did enjoy the Fat Squirrel from WG via DB)
Took me all day to figure out that Hoosier Daddy was in the race and sharing space with us under the community tent. Didn't have a chance to chat, but I did manage to squeeze this out of my phone with 5% battery... Congratulations!
I should also share my fondest memory of Camping With The Cleatuses...
Neighbors on one side of me were quite helpful - assisting with my monster tent and providing a light for our fire. I was feeling sort of warm & fuzzy about them, as opposed to my squatter neighbors on the other side and the creepy guy down the way. But, as I was lying in my tent, weathering the overnight storms (wondering whether I'd be taken out of the running by a falling branch), I heard moaning. Yep, crazy red-neck sex! Then, the sound of a tent unzipping.
Woman: You can't do that!
Man: What? Everyone is asleep!
Woman: You can't be out there naked!
Man: Well nobody would know, except now you've told them!
Great...there's an ugly naked guy outside my tent. (Which, of course, is worlds better than inside my tent.)
As for my race...
Not so racy.
Injury, leading to sporadic training and lack of long runs, did me in. Realized I'd maxed out on training benefit, was rapidly approaching the need for extended recovery, and creeping up on (yet more) injury. So, decided to call it a day 37.2 miles (my first long run in almost 9 months) and enjoy the rest of my time hanging out and cheering people on.
So, all in all, I think I made the most of the weekend - good times with good friends and a bit of good training.
And, I'm willing to risk that little motel next year. (After the campground, how bad could it be?!)
WG - Is it possible your Backpacking Wallet (or was it a Trekking Wallet? Hiking?) floated away in the monsoon that swept through your tent? Frikkin meth-heads!
Liz
pace sera, sera
Kalsarikännit
And it was more than a little creepy, the way she kept staring at my ass.)
Ha! I just remembered the best part. Buzzie's peach and black bottle holder that goes around her waist makes her look like she is running in a g-string! Very funny! Definitely a way to get the boys off their game.
HoosierDaddy, I'm sorry I didn't know how close you were to the record. I wish I had paid better attention to numbers. (Btw...you know you have to be 40 to be a masters runner? I sure you will be a great one in 10 or so years ). Next year we kill those records.
Also, Juli Aistars is amazing. She has done 48 and 72 hour races and was this years Vol State winner. She has the ability to dig down deep when times get tough. A couple of years back she reached out to me, which was amazing and generous. She always has time to answer my questions and root me on. I love how unselfish the ultrarunning community is. I am very lucky to be part of a community where people that I look up to really take their time to encourage all the runners around them.
I want to do it because I want to do it. -Amelia Earhart
Self anointed title
I love how unselfish the ultrarunning community is. I am very lucky to be part of a community where people that I look up to really take their time to encourage all the runners around them.
What a report!! Thank you for doing all that...now I don' t have to. All I need to add is about the cool people I met... I have to admit, WrigleyGirl's Brett Somers avatar and mad ultra skillz had me a bit intimidated to meet her. But, now I know - I should have been Very Afraid! Can you believe this girl befriends inch worms, provides camping tips, gives tours of labyrinths, and saves toads from fiery ends? Totally psyched me out. (And it was more than a little creepy, the way she kept staring at my ass.) Dinner with WrigleyGirl and Jeff F. was a treat at the local "Italian" eatery. (Yeah, that's like Panera "bread.") So many great stories to share - these two are adventurers! Then the beer run... I owe you guys one (or more) - shame on me for not bringing a little something from Michigan. (I did enjoy the Fat Squirrel from WG via DB) Took me all day to figure out that Hoosier Daddy was in the race and sharing space with us under the community tent. Didn't have a chance to chat, but I did manage to squeeze this out of my phone with 5% battery... Congratulations! I should also share my fondest memory of Camping With The Cleatuses... Neighbors on one side of me were quite helpful - assisting with my monster tent and providing a light for our fire. I was feeling sort of warm & fuzzy about them, as opposed to my squatter neighbors on the other side and the creepy guy down the way. But, as I was lying in my tent, weathering the overnight storms (wondering whether I'd be taken out of the running by a falling branch), I heard moaning. Yep, crazy red-neck sex! Then, the sound of a tent unzipping. Woman: You can't do that! Man: What? Everyone is asleep! Woman: You can't be out there naked! Man: Well nobody would know, except now you've told them! Great...there's an ugly naked guy outside my tent. (Which, of course, is worlds better than inside my tent.) As for my race... Not so racy. Injury, leading to sporadic training and lack of long runs, did me in. Realized I'd maxed out on training benefit, was rapidly approaching the need for extended recovery, and creeping up on (yet more) injury. So, decided to call it a day 37.2 miles (my first long run in almost 9 months) and enjoy the rest of my time hanging out and cheering people on. So, all in all, I think I made the most of the weekend - good times with good friends and a bit of good training. And, I'm willing to risk that little motel next year. (After the campground, how bad could it be?!) WG - Is it possible your Backpacking Wallet (or was it a Trekking Wallet? Hiking?) floated away in the monsoon that swept through your tent? Frikkin meth-heads!
Nice piece of hardware, HD. Congratulations!
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
Free Beer
I decided I needed to stop being a RA lurker and register so I can reply to this rambling report. Hawthorn was my first attempt at a 50 miler and I want to thank WG and Buzzie for their support over the weekend. I had a great time running, walking and talking with many of the other runners. I was serious on Saturday when I gold WG and Buzzie that would be my last 50 miler, but since then I have already begun to think about how I could have gone farther if I would have been mentally prepared for that possibility. My goal was to achieve 50 and when I did that I mentally shut down, and still had probably a little over an hour to go.
Now, I guess I need to start thinking about Howl.
Ha! And there I was, thinking you were just exhibiting tremendous self-control!
Glad to see you out of lurk mode.
Thanks again for the icy washcloth!!